Jackson survives Demopolis effort
Demopolis saw a gritty effort end in defeat Thursday as Jackson quarterback Matthew Jordan punched in a two-point conversion run to give the Aggies a 22-21 win.
With 40 seconds remaining in the game, Jordan stuck an out route throw in the hands of receiver Marcuz Gilmore in the end zone to put the Aggies down 21-20. Jackson took a timeout and elected to go for the win on a two-point conversion play. Whatever the call was, it mattered little as Jordan turned a busted play into a 3-yard run to put his team up 22-21.
“Jordan’s our team leader. He’s just gimme the ball, gimme the ball, gimme the ball,” Jackson coach Danny Powell said. “Of course, the two-point conversion was just a broken play that he made on his own. It was a poor call on my part I reckon.”
Gilmore’s catch capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive and was one of three grabs by the receiver during the march.
Jackson needed drive to answer a Demopolis possession that saw the Tigers go 91 yards in nine plays to take the lead.
Demopolis quarterback Tyler Oates broke off runs of 12 and 10 yards before taking a hit that sent him out of the game. Three plays later, the senior signal-caller returned to action to hand the ball to Roderick Davis for a 14-yard run before unleashing a 24-yard scamper of his own. The run set up a 20-yard touchdown sprint from Davis to put Demopolis up 19-14 with 2:49 to play. Oates then rolled out and threw to Peyton Pearson for the two-point conversion to give the Tigers a 21-14 lead.
“I’m really proud of our guys. They played their tails off tonight. (Jackson) made one more play tonight and the clock really ran out on us,” Demopolis coach Tom Causey said. “I thought our kids executed the game plan to a tee. Credit Jackson right there for making plays to win the ball game.”
“Coach Causey had them ready to play as always. He’s a great football coach and his kids played their tail off,” Powell said of the Tigers.
Jackson had previously taken a 14-13 lead with 9:34 left in the game when Jordan scored on a 4-yard run to punctuate a 13-play drive that covered 90 yards. Jordan added his own conversion run in that instance as well after a play in which a bad snap and a desperation heave on an extra point call drew a pass interference penalty against Demopolis.
The Tigers took their first lead of the game with 3:15 to play in the third quarter when Oates hit Cortez Lewis on a post that went 50 yards for a score.
Demopolis trailed 6-0 with 9:54 to play in the second when Jordan hit Antonio Fox for a 23-yard score. The point-after failed, allowing Demopolis to tie the game with a pair of Leif Midgorden field goals.
The first kick came from 38 yards out with 3:59 to go in the quarter and was set up by a 50-yard interception return from Demetrius Kemp.
The second kick was of the 27-yard variety and followed a Logan McVay interception. Midgorden’s second 3-pointer of the night sent the game to the half at 6-6.
Jordan ran for 100 yards on 23 carries to lead the Aggies. Oates matched his counterpart with 100 yards on 18 carries for Demopolis. Davis added 104 yards on 17 carries.
Gilmore led all receivers with 83 yards on seven catches.
Kemp led the defense for Demopolis with nine total tackles to go along with a forced fumble, a blocked punt and an interception.
Tyler Perkins recovered a fumble for Demopolis. Gavin Bryant intercepted a pass for Jackson while Tycorey Sims recovered a fumble for the Aggies.
Jackson (9-0, 7-0) plays Thomasville next while Demopolis (6-3, 4-3) needs a win over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa next week to break a three-way tie for the No. 3 seed in Region 3 and clinch a playoff berth.